HOME > Featured City > Holland/Haag-City Plofile

Situated to the south of the capital, Amsterdam, and facing the North Sea, The Hague is the nation’s third largest city. Overflowing with greenery, the city is dotted with buildings formerly inhabited by royalty aristocracy, and has the atmosphere of an ancient city. While the city is called “Den Haag” in Dutch, its official name is “s’Gravenhage,” which means the “Count’s hedge.” Its origin dates back to the thirteenth century, when Count Holland built a castle as a hunting lodge. With the parliament building Binnenhof and major government offices as well as foreign embassies in the city center, The Hague is truly the political center of the Netherlands. It is also known as the Royal City, Queen Beatrix’s palace is located here and other place-like houses line its streets. Direct flights serve Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport from Narita and Kansai International Airports. The flight takes approximately 12 hours. Japan Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines serve the route from Narita, and KLM the exclusive carrier from Kansai. When going to The Hague from Amsterdam by train, be careful as there are two stations - “The Hague Central” and “The Hague Hollands Spoor” - and destinations vary by train. To get to the city center, take the train to “The Hague Central” and get off at the terminal. Also, pay attention to the difference between the English name, “The Hague,” and the Dutch name “Den Haag” to avoid confusion. The highlights of The Hague are concentrated in the city center of Binnenhof. It takes approximately 5 minutes by tram or bus, and 20 minutes on foot from Central Station to Binnenhof. Taxis are also available for longer distance travel, but please be aware that they can only be caught at taxi stands. It is normal in the Netherlands to telephone for a taxi. Taxi fares are quite reasonable, and it costs about EUR10.00 for 5 km in the city. You can communicate with the drivers in English.